Graph matching is an excellent activity to teach students how to read graphs—you have to both read the y-intercept on a graph and understand its interpretation to know where to stand at the start of a position vs. time match trial.

A typical graph match activity works like this: A student sets up Graphical Analysis for use with a Motion Detector by connecting the equipment and launching the app. The student walks towards and away from the Motion Detector and observes the graph, getting a feel for what the sensor is measuring. Then, the student selects Graph Match and Graphical Analysis draws a multiple‑segment function on the position vs. time axes. Again, the student moves towards and away from the Motion Detector, this time attempting to reproduce the target graph as closely as possible with real data.

A student (red line) does pretty well at matching a target position graph (gray line). A follow-up discussion might include ideas such as this: at 4.5 seconds, the student was both too far away and moving too quickly to match the target.

After a match attempt, students learn a great deal by discussing the physical difference between the motion described by the target graph and what was actually performed.

Use position graph matching to teach graph interpretation, even before having students construct their own graphs. Later, drive home the meaning of velocity with velocity matches.